### §2452b. International expositions

#### (a) Limitation

Except as provided in subsection (b) and notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Department of State may not obligate or expend any funds appropriated to the Department of State for a United States pavilion or other major exhibit at any international exposition or world's fair registered by the Bureau of International Expositions in excess of amounts expressly authorized and appropriated for such purpose.

#### (b) Exceptions

#### (1) In general

The Department of State is authorized to utilize its personnel and resources to carry out the responsibilities of the Department for the following:

(A) Administrative services, including legal and other advice and contract administration, under section 2452(a)(3) of this title related to United States participation in international fairs and expositions abroad. Such administrative services may not include capital expenses, operating expenses, or travel or related expenses (other than such expenses as are associated with the provision of administrative services by employees of the Department of State).

(B) Activities under section 2455(f) of this title with respect to encouraging foreign governments, international organizations, and private individuals, firms, associations, agencies and other groups to participate in international fairs and expositions and to make contributions to be utilized for United States participation in international fairs and expositions.

(C) Encouraging private support of United States pavilions and exhibits at international fairs and expositions, except that no employees of the Department of State may, in their official capacity, solicit funds to pay expenses for a United States pavilion or other major exhibit at any international exposition or world's fair registered by the Bureau of International Expositions.

#### (2) Statutory construction

Nothing in this subsection authorizes the use of funds appropriated to the Department of State to make payments for—

(A) contracts, grants, or other agreements with any other party to carry out the activities described in this subsection; or

(B) the satisfaction of any legal claim or judgment or the costs of litigation brought against the Department of State arising from activities described in this subsection.

#### (c) Notification

No funds made available to the Department of State by any Federal agency to be used for a United States pavilion or other major exhibit at any international exposition or world's fair registered by the Bureau of International Expositions may be obligated or expended unless the appropriate congressional committees are notified not less than 15 days prior to such obligation or expenditure.

#### (d) Reports

The Commissioner General of a United States pavilion or other major exhibit at any international exposition or world's fair registered by the Bureau of International Expositions shall submit to the Secretary of State and the appropriate congressional committees a report concerning activities relating to such pavilion or exhibit every 180 days while serving as Commissioner General and shall submit a final report summarizing all such activities not later than 1 year after the closure of the pavilion or exhibit.

(Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, §1000(a)(7) [div. A, title II, §204], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–420; Pub. L. 115–32, §5(b), May 8, 2017, 131 Stat. 844.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### Codification

Section is comprised of section 1000(a)(7) [div. A, title II, §204] of div. B of Pub. L. 106–113. Subsec. (e) of section 204 of title II of section 1000(a)(7) of Pub. L. 106–113 repealed section 230 of Pub. L. 103–236 which was classified as a note under section 2452 of this title.

Section was enacted as part of the Admiral James W. Nance and Meg Donovan Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2000 and 2001, and not as part of the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961 which comprises this chapter.

#### Amendments

2017—Subsec. (b)(1)(C). Pub. L. 115–32 inserted before period at end ", except that no employees of the Department of State may, in their official capacity, solicit funds to pay expenses for a United States pavilion or other major exhibit at any international exposition or world's fair registered by the Bureau of International Expositions".

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Definitions

In subsecs. (c) and (d), "appropriate congressional committees" means the Committee on International Relations (now Committee on Foreign Affairs) of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate, see section 1000(a)(7) [§3(1)] of Pub. L. 106–113, set out as a note under section 2651 of this title.

#### United States Competition for a World Expo

Pub. L. 115–32, May 8, 2017, 131 Stat. 843, provided that:

#### "SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

"This Act may be cited as the 'U.S. Wants to Compete for a World Expo Act'.

#### "SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

"Congress finds the following:

"(1) The Bureau of International Expositions (BIE) is the organization responsible for governing World Fairs and International Expositions.

"(2) Section 1(a) of Public Law 91–269 (22 U.S.C. 2801(a)) found that 'international expositions . . . have a significant impact on the economic growth of the region surrounding the exposition and . . . are important instruments of national policy'.

"(3) The United States has not been an active member of the BIE since 2001.

"(4) State and local governments and private entities in the United States have continued to participate in international expositions held in foreign countries as a means of promoting United States exports and creating jobs, but face significantly higher costs for such participation because the United States is not an active member.

"(5) State and local governments and private entities in the United States have expressed interest in an international exposition being hosted in the United States, but the bid of a United States city, region, or State to host an international exposition is unlikely to be successful if the United States is not a member of the BIE.

#### "SEC. 3. SENSE OF CONGRESS.

"It is the sense of Congress that—

"(1) the United States should rejoin the BIE immediately to promote domestic job creation, global branding, and tourism to the United States; and

"(2) the Secretary of State, in partnership with the Secretary of Commerce, State and local governments, and private and non-profit entities, should take all necessary steps to facilitate the timely submission of a request to rejoin the BIE.

#### "SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION.

"(a) In General.—The Secretary of State is authorized to take such actions as the Secretary determines necessary for the United States to rejoin and maintain membership in the BIE.

"(b) Authorization To Accept Private Contributions.—In addition to funds otherwise available to the Secretary to carry out this section, the Secretary is authorized to accept contributions for such purpose.

"(c) Notification.—The Secretary of State shall notify the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Appropriations of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Foreign Relations and Appropriations of the Senate upon taking any action under subsection (a).

#### "SEC. 5. CONTINUATION OF PROHIBITION ON USE OF FEDERAL FUNDS FOR WORLD'S FAIR PAVILIONS AND EXHIBITS.

"(a) Continuation of Prohibition.—Nothing in this Act may be construed to authorize any obligation or expenditure prohibited by section 204 of the Admiral James W. Nance and Meg Donovan Foreign Relations Authorization Act, Fiscal Years 2000 and 2001 (22 U.S.C. 2452b) (relating to limitations on the obligation or expenditure of funds by the Department of State for a United States pavilion or exhibit at an international exposition or world's fair registered by the BIE).

"(b) Prohibition on Solicitation of Funds.—[Amended this section.]"